A standing birth!!

My daughter made her arrival on 1/14/2020 at 38 1/7 weeks

I had been having contractions every 15 to 20 minutes for weeks.

A week before I delivered I had found stork labor and delivery prep tea. This tea is designed to help strengthen and prepare the uterus for labor and delivery.

On the morning of the 14th I woke up to get ready for work. I was sitting on my birth ball, drinking my tea and listening to my mindful meditation tracks. As I was doing this I noticed that my contractions had a downward pressure to them, so I decided to time them. They were 8 minutes apart lasting 45 to 50 seconds. I decide to call into work to let them know I wasn’t going in as I thought I was in early labor.

I had decided to let my husband sleep and decided I wanted a good hardy breakfast. So as much as I detest cooking breakfast, I made eggs, bacon, and pancakes, a side of fruit and a glass of milk. This was about 8 am. My husband wakes up to the smell of bacon cooking, looks at me confused and asked what I was doing. I simply told him that I’m in labor and so I’m going to eat a good hardy breakfast. He immediately wanted to go to the hospital. I explained that I didn’t need to go in until my contractions were 5 minutes apart lasting 1 minute for a minimum of 1 hour. He said ok. I decided I wanted a shower but didn’t want to stand the whole time so I took my birth ball in and sat on it while I showered. This was by far the best thing ever! Once I got out I wanted to sit naked on my birth ball in front of our pellet stove with the lights dimmed and curtains closed. I put in my headphones and listened to my worship music I had put together for my birth process. I continued to relax and breath through my contractions. By noon I had asked my husband, who by the way asked about every hour if we need to head to the hospital if he wanted to go with me to go get dog food and a few other items from the Tractor Supply store and then over to Walmart. Around 1:30 or so we were walking around Walmart and my contractions were a little more intense but very manageable. I decide I wanted to squat with every contraction. This just a comfortable position for me. At this point I wasn’t timing my contractions but little did I know my husband was. About an hour goes by and he states that my contractions were 4 minutes apart lasting a minute. I was in complete denial and told him no they were like 7 minutes apart. His protective mode kicked in and he said that we were going to take the 30 minute drive home to get our bags and let our dogs out for a few minutes before heading to the hospital. I decided there was no point in arguing.

We arrived at the hospital at 4 pm. I’m put on monitors and had a vaginal exam. I was only 3 cm and 50% effaced. The monitor wasn’t doing a great job at picking up contractions. They were going to send me home, but because we lived an hour away they let me walk the halls for an hour to see if I would progress. So at 4:55pm I start walking halls. I find a nice set of stairs and start walking up and down them. I continued to squat during my contractions which go from 4 minutes apart to 2-3 minutes apart. At this point I’m able to breath through the pretty good. I have my birth support with me. We are talking and laughing and just enjoying this beautiful process. I get back to the triage room. I’m hooked to monitors again and rechecked to see if I have dilated any more. Well I’m dilated to a 3.5 and still 50% effaced. I was disappointed. The nurse had said that she would see what the doctor wanted to do but we may end up going home. Here it is 6:00pm and I tell my husband he should go get some food from the cafeteria as they close as seven. While he was gone and the nurse was talking with the on call doctor my contractions had shifted and became more intense. I started to moan through them and focus on my breathing techniques. By 6:20pm the nurse comes back in and says we will keep you for another hour and to continue to walk the halls. I used the restroom, which I had 3 back to back contractions on the toilet before I was able to stand up. I get out to the waiting room where my birth support was at. My sweet husband brought me some food to eat. I took 3 bites of my sandwich but couldn’t eat any more. My aunt has asked if I wanted to walk, I said no that I wanted to go over by the window and focus on my contractions. I started to feel bait so I asked for an emesis bag. I wanted to be on my hands and knees hunched over a chair. I continued to moan through my contractions. The nurse came out and looked at me and said “well, let’s get you back to your room and we will recheck you.” This was at 6:40pm. She checks and says “well we are admitting you.”I asked how far I was. She stated “Well you are at 7 cm and 100% effaced.” I was so shocked I dilated 3.5 cm in 20 minutes and was completely effaced. I told my husband he need to call my sister and tell her to get there ASAP. (She was my biggest birth support) We get over to the delivery

room not exact on the time but somewhere close to 7 pm and my prenatal doctor comes in and she checks me I’m at an 8. I got off of the bed as being on my back or in a sitting position was not going well for me. ( from here I have zero sense of time, so forgive me.)I tried sitting on the birth ball but couldn’t. I tried to get on the bed to get on my hands and knees, but couldn’t get my legs up on the bed. So I labor standing up.As I’m laboring my doctor wants to do an ultrasound just to make sure her head was down. I told her she had to do it with me standing because i was not going to get on the bed. She tried and tried and tried. Finally my sister sat on the bed while my aunt supported her back as I leaned up against my sister so they could get a good ultrasound done. Baby’s head is down! As I’m laboring I’m not sure of exact time but I felt so much pressure and wanted to sit on the toilet. Everyone just assured me that it was baby’s coming down. I’m moaning through y contractions and I told my sister I can’t do this and I’m soo soo tired. I think I want my epidural. She was so great assured me that I was doing it and that I am strong and designed to labor and birth my baby but it was ok to have the epidural if I wanted it. I said yes I want it. (I knew in my head I wasn’t going to be able to get it but it was a mental block of being told ok) so the nurses attach the saline to my hep lock and “start the process of receiving the epidural” (in quotes became we all knew it was to late, well everyone but my husband.) 😅 my doctor checks me to see where I’m at. 8.5 cm with a bulging bag. My health care team leaves the room. The very next contraction I feel her move down and the need to push. My aunt followed the doctors out and stated she says she is pushing. This was literally 20’seconds after being checked. They all cone rushing in and ask if I would get on the bed. I said nope this is happening right here with me standing.i was being supported by my sister and my dear friend. One person on each side of me. My doctor is on her kneeled looking up telling me not to push as the nurse is trying to put gloves on her. She has no time my water breaks. My poor doctor is in the splash zone. Next is her head then she comes flying out. My awesome doctor caught my baby girl while I birthed her standing at 8:57 pm on 1/14/2020 weighing 8 lbs 3.1 oz 19.5 inches long.

This experience was so empowering, completely everything I wanted in my birth. I had the best birth team and support. My husband who was so nervous and anxious was wonderful and so helpful with keeping me hydrated and getting me wet cool wash cloths when I needed them. My sister, she was absolutely the best person i needed to help me through this birth. I couldn’t have done it without her. My aunt was so great at getting the doctors attention when needed.

I loved that my doctors let me labor as I wanted and we supportive of every decision I made along the way. It truly

was an incredibly magical experience.